DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Double-Drum Sawdust Stove

DEVELOPMENT REPORT - Double-Drum Sawdust Stove
By Gary Garriott

Broadcast: Monday, September 27, 2004

This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English Development Report.

Sawdust is what remains¹ after trees and logs² are cut up into boards for building houses and other structures⁴. In many parts of the world, sawdust is considered waste. It is thrown away or left for the rain to wash away.

Sawdust is not often thought of as a fuel. It is difficult to burn, although fine particles⁵ of sawdust can explode if there is a fire or spark⁶ nearby. Yet it is possible to burn sawdust to provide heat or to cook food. One way is to build a stove from two round metal containers, or drums. To build one, place a one hundred liter⁷ drum inside a two hundred liter drum. The smaller drum is held in place by a false floor that connects to the larger drum.

Three metal legs support the large drum. The legs hold the structure³ above the ground. Beneath the false floor is a space where the sawdust fuel is placed. There are holes in the false floor allowing air to pass through.

As the sawdust burns, smoke passes from the small drum that does not have a cover to the larger drum that is covered. Pipes are placed in the wall of the outside drum to carry smoke outside. The space for the fuel and the holes in the pipes can be changed if more or less heat is desired.

To make the fuel, place the sawdust inside a round, wooden container that is about one meter across. Leave a hole in the middle. Make the sawdust hard by hitting it over and over again with a stick or stone. Then remove the wooden container very carefully.

The sawdust keeps the same shape it had when it was inside the wooden container. Place small pieces of paper into the hole. When the paper is lighted with fire from a match, the sawdust around it begins to burn. It is important that the sawdust be as dry as possible. With dry sawdust, this double-drum stove can heat a small room for six to eight hours.

During the first two hours of burning, there is enough heat at the center of the cover on the larger drum to boil water or to cook food. In addition to sawdust, other kinds of waste from sawmills can be burned in the stove.

You can get more information about how to make a double-drum stove from the group Volunteers in Technical Assistance⁸. This group is on the Internet at vita.org. This VOA Special English Development Report was written by Gary Garriott. This is Steve Ember.

1 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

2 logs   

n.练习用球瓶；原木，木材，木料( log的名词复数 )；航海[飞行]日志

参考例句：

• logs for the fire 烧火用的木材
• The logs were knocked together as they floated down the stream. 圆木顺流而下时互相碰撞着。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 structure   

n.结构，构造，建筑物；v.构成；

参考例句：

• Doctors study the structure of the human body.医生研究人体构造。
• A flower has quite a complicated structure.一朵花的结构相当复杂。

4 structures   

n.结构( structure的名词复数 )；[生物学]构造；机构；构造物v.组织( structure的第三人称单数 )；安排；制定

参考例句：

• All three structures dated to the third century and were tentatively identified as shrines. 这3座建筑都建于3 世纪，并且初步鉴定为神庙。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Flexibility of labour was obtained through the breakup of old trade union structures. 打破了旧的工会结构之后，雇用劳工可以灵活处理。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 particles   

微粒( particle的名词复数 )； 颗粒； 极少量； 小品词

参考例句：

• These small particles agglomerate together to form larger clusters. 这些颗粒聚结形成较大的团。
• The nucleus of an atom consists of neutrons, protons and other particles. 原子核由中子、质子和其他粒子构成。

6 spark   

n.火花，朝气，情人，俗丽的年轻人；vi.闪烁，冒火花，热情回应；vt.激发，引起，追求

参考例句：

• A single spark can start a prairie fire.星星之火，可以燎原。
• What made the electric wire spark?电线冒火花是什么原因？

7 liter   

n.升(容量单位)

参考例句：

• The bottle holds a liter of beer.这个瓶子装一升啤酒。
• I was so thirsty that I drank a liter of iced tea.我太渴了，竟然喝了一公升的冰茶。

8 assistance   

n.援助，帮助

参考例句：

• She called and called but no one came to her assistance.她叫了又叫，但没有人来帮。
• He will get the great possible assistance.他将获得尽可能大的帮助。